Folding table



June 5, 1923.

S. M. COGGIN$ FOLDING TABLE Filed June 25, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l//i/EA/TDF 5. M. [FEE/IVE June 5, 1923.

S. M. COGGINS FOLDING TABLE Filed June 25, 1921 2 SheetsSheet 2 //VVENTEE' 5'. M- 0515 INS Patented June 5, 19 23. i

UNITED STATES 1,457,618 PATENT OFFICE.

SHIRLEY M. COGGINS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

FOLDING TABLE.

application filed June 25, 1921. Serial No. 480,312.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SHIRLEY M. Cocems, a citizen of the United States,residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Folding Tables,of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in folding tables and moreparticularly to a combined suitcase and folding table which will behighly useful to campers and tourists.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a relativelyinexpensive and compact folding-table of the character described inwhich the legs, braces, etc., when folded will be entirely concealed andtake up little or no room in the suitcase, which latter forms the tabletop when the table is set up, the legs being of simple, strong and rigidconstruction and capable of being readily lengthened or shortenedrelatively, so as to permit the setting of the table with the top levelwhile the legs rest upon uneven ground.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel, strong, simplyconstructed and inexpensive foldable and extensible leg unit for a tablewhich leg unit, tho particularly designed for use with a suitcase-tableof the character described, is also applicable to other articles to besupported and is capable of ready and easy attachment thereto or to anysuitcase in fact, the said unit including an automatic locking andbracing means which when the leg is extended or unfolded for use,automatically locks and braces the leg in place.

The invention possesses other advantages and features some of which,with the foregoing will be set forth at length in the followingdescription where I shall outline in full that form of the inventionwhich I have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying andforming a part of the present'specification. In said drawings I haveshown one form of the construction of my invention, but'it is to beunderstood that I do not limit myself to such form since the inventionas expressed in the claims may be embodied in a plurality of forms.

' Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of the table showing the top unfolded andthe legs folded into the top.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1 butshowing the table set up on uneven ground and the legs adjusted tomaintain the top level.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the table as it would appear when inuse.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the table folded.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the leg units shownextended, the table top being shown in section.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 taken at right angles thereof.

Fig. 7 is a broken detail sectional view of the locking means.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a modified form of bracket for securingthe leg unit. Fig. 9 IS a fragmentary perspective view of another partof the modified form of bracket such as will be used in connection withthe part shown in Fig. 8. 4

In carrying out my invention I preferably construct the table top in twoparts 1 and 2 after the manner of the parts of a suitcase, hinged at 3.altho I may use an ordinary suitcase. To the top I attach the four legunits 4 of my invention so that the latter are capable of being foldedinto and out of the top and the top may be closed or folded so as toconceal said'units aifd be used as a suitcase.

The leg units, at their inner ends, carry hinge leaves-5 hinged toleaves 6 and 7 which latter are attached and secured by screws to theinside of the top at the outer corners of the sections 1 and 2 thereof.At each of said corners a straight portion of'a spring wire or resilientrod 8 is inserted thru the leaves 5, 6 and 7 to act as a hinge pin.Afterpassing thru the leaf 7 which is spaced outwardly to one side ofthe leg, the wire or rod is bent to extend outwardly as at 8, to theouter end of the fixed section 9 of the leg. At this point the wire isbent to provide a bearing portion 10 which extends thru a sleeve orkeeper 11 on the leg section 9 and said wire is then extended inwardlyas at 8 back towards the top and terminates in an angularly bent portion12 which slides in a slotted guide and locking member 13 suitablysecured to the side flange l4 ofthe top. The other end of the wire isextended thru the member 13 and into the side flange as at 15. The guidemember is angle corresponding to the portion 8", whereupon the portionsserve as braces for the leg and lock the leg in place. The portion 12carries a washer or small roller 13- oted to the outer section andembracing and receiving the inner section 9.

Carried by the outer portion of the loop 19 is a jaw 20'preferablyformed of rubber or some other similar resilient material, which jaw isarranged to engage one side of the stationary leg section so as to holdthe sections against collapsing when extended. The loop .19 is of such asize that when held in position at right angles to the leg sections,

will permit the extensible section to be moved freely -into and out ofextended position and when said loop is moved at an angle greater orless than the right angle, it will cause the rubber jaw 20 tofrictionally bind upon the inner section and hold the legs in adjustedposition. Thus'it will be seen that the loop and jaw act as a connectingmedium between the leg sections as well as means for locking theextensible section in adjusted position. The provision of-the extensibleleg with the simple, convenient, reliable and easily adjustable lockingmeans above described, is considered one of the most essential featuresof this invention.

As a means for bracing the table top a bar 21 is pivoted intermediateits ends as at 22 I upon a block 23 to the section 1' of the top and isadapted to be moved from positlon extending lengthwise of section 1,asshown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, to the position extending across bothsections so that it may be engaged upon blocks 24 and 25 on therespective sections and act as a brace. A spring keeper or clip 26 ismounted upon the block 25 and engages one end of the bar 21 so as tohold said bar in bracing position. When this bar is not in use it liesin such position that it will not interfere with the folding of thetable top.

When the device of this invention is embodied in a suitcase table of theform shown in the accompanying drawings hereinbefore described, and thetable is in collapsed position, as shown in Fig. 4, it has the generalappearance of a suitcase and can be carried readily from place to placeand packed and secured upon an automobile in a convenient manner. To usethe table, the clasps 27 for holding the sections 1 and 2 together areunclasped and the table unfolded so as to present a fiat top, as shownin Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

outwardly on their hinges and will automatically look when in unfoldedposition. Asthe legs are unfolded the brace 8", which is under tensionwhen the leg is folded, will move to the inner end of the slotted guideand locking member 13, of its own accord, due to the spring actionthereof and the inner end or angularly bent portion 12 of said portion 8will come to rest against an abutment 28 at the outer end of said guidemember 12. At this time the portion 8 is extended at such an angle tothe leg that it prevents unintentional collapsing or folding of the legand serves as a brace. It will thus be seen that the member 8"automatically moves from position under tension to position for lockingand bracing the legs. The portion 8 is at all times disposed in anangular position corresponding to the bracing and locking position ofthe portion 8 and these two portions provide for an effectivebracingmeans for the legs. After the legs have been unfolded the extensiblesections 16 thereof may be adjusted as desired, to regulate the heightof the table or provide for the setting of the table in level positionwhen the legs rest upon uneven leg section so as to maintain theadjusted position of the leg.

To fold the legs the portions 8 are forced inwardly, slightly, and theleg is folded inwardly. By continuing the folding movement of the legs,said portions 8 will be forced by movement of the legs into positionunder tension, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

In Figs 8 and 9 there is shown a modified form of attaching a bracketsuch as may be used to attach the leg units of this invention to theordinary suitcase or to any other article requiring supporting legs. Thespecial construction of the bracket of this modified form renders theattachment of the leg units, as above described, comparatively simpleand easy and makes it unnecessary to change in 1 any way theconstruction of the device in which the legs are attached. As shown inFig. 8, a holder plate 30 with inwardly bent retaining flanges 31 onopposite edges is provided with openings 32 in the body thereof toprovide for attachment of the plate to a table or like device, as shownat A. A downwardly struck spring locking tongue 33 depends from theplate 30 so as to engage and hold in place in the flanges 31, an angularslot 41 so as to correspond to the slotted guide plate used in thepreviously described form. It will be apparent that with this means ofconnection for securing the leg units, the latter may be readilyattached to various articles of furniture, to the ordinary suitcase orto any article requiring supporting legs.

I claim:

1. In combination with an article to be supported, legs hinged to andadapted to fold with relation to said article, spring rods securedintermediate of their ends to the outer portion of the legs and extendininwardly and angularly on opposite sides 0 the legs to and connectedwith said article, one end of each rod being fixed to said article and aguide member in which the other end of said rod is slidable into and outof position to lock the leg against unintentional folding.

2. In combination with an article to be supported, a plurality of legs,hinge barrels carried on the inner ends of the legs and on said article,sprin rods connected intermediate their ends with the outer end portionsof the legs and extended divergently inwardly to said article onopposite sides of the leg, certain portions of said rods being extendedthru the hinge barrels to hingedly connect the legs and a guide memberon said article in which the inner end of the other portions of the wireare slidable.

3. In combination with an article to be supported, a plurality of legs,hinge barrels carried on the inner ends of the legs and on said article,spring rods connected intermediate their ends with the outer endportions of the legs and extended divergently inwardly to said articleon opposite sides of the leg, certain portions of said rods beinextended thru the hinge barrels to hinged y connect the legs and a guidemember on said article in which the inner end of the other portions ofthe wire are slidable and extensible members slidable into and out ofextended position upon said legs.

SHIRLEY M. COGGINS.

